The Mistake
by Lyla Calm
Summary: Amy's summer starts with a day all to herself--and she decides to spend it with none other than Russ Thompson, Jr. But a comment about a recent movie causes Russ to become strangely distant--and that's only the beginning of the adventure.
1. Distraction

**HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS**

(a fanfiction by Lyla Calm)

_Written from Amy's perspective_

It had already been a year. A year since Dad's machine had shrunk me and Nick to the size of pinheads. But we hadn't been alone. Our next-door neighbors, Ron and Russ Thompson, had joined us.

I thought about this as I scraped the lunch dishes. It was, once again, summer vacation from school. Dad had gone to the lab for the afternoon, and Mom had met a friend for lunch. Nick sat at the kitchen table, drawing a model of an invention he planned to start working on.

I dropped the dish in the sink. Mom had told me to do the dishes and the laundry before I went anywhere--but Nick had the entire afternoon free. It wasn't fair.

The unfairness only got worse when the doorbell rang. Nick jumped up and opened it; it was Ron. "Hey Nick, I've got something to show you!" he announced.

I saw Nick glance at his drawing. "I'm kinda busy right now."

"I found it in the backyard."

Nick gave him a quizzical look through his dorky round glasses. "In the backyard?"

"Yes." Ron grinned with wide eyes for effect. "It's a giant lizard!"

And that was all Nick needed to hear.

He didn't even bother to close the door.

But I had to admit, having the warm summer air wisping into the kitchen as I scraped another dish felt really good.

"Hey."

My arms were suddenly covered with goosebumps. I knew that voice.

I turned around to see Russ Thompson Jr. in the doorway, holding a football.

"Hi," I replied casually. He smiled and tossed the football into the air, obviously trying to show off. Rolling my eyes, I returned to the dishes and pretended to be unimpressed.

I finished washing a bowl and set it on the counter, stealing a glance at Russ as I did so. He was still standing in the doorway tossing the football, watching me the entire time.

"You wanna go toss the football around?"

Seriously. Do I look like the kind of girl who'd like to toss a football around?

I decided to play hard-to-get. "No thanks."

I continued washing dishes, and I was aware that Russ hadn't moved.

"Okay, then do you wanna go to the mall instead? There's a new arcade that opened last week."

I continued my silence, but the idea of going to the mall with Russ appealed to me. But the dishes....

"I can't. I have chores."

"I've got time." Russ pulled a chair out from the table and proceeded to seat himself, resuming throwing the football into the air.

"You know, you could dry these dishes and make time pass faster," I told him.

"Oh, right," he responded, jumping up. I couldn't tell if he had purposely avoided offering to help, or if it never even occurred to him.

As he finished drying the last few plates, I ran to the laundry room to start that. I tossed a few pairs of underwear into the already almost-full washer, and started the wash cycle. Ah. Freedom.

Racing up the stairs to change my clothes, I called down to Russ that I'd be down in a minute.

What to wear, what to wear? I tore through my dresser, finally extracting a floral blouse and tan shorts. It was my favorite summer outfit.

I flew into the bathroom to put on lipstick and grabbed my purse on the way downstairs. Slowing down on the bottom step, I called, "I'm ready!"

Russ was finishing putting the dishes away--I smiled. The Thompsons had spent so much time at our house in the past year that they knew exactly where everything was, as if it was their own home. And that was how I liked it.

We made our way down the street, which was surprisingly empty for a summer day. A summer camp was in session just a few blocks away, where I was sure most of the other children on the street were spending their time.

"We don't have to go to the mall," Russ said suddenly.

"We don't?"

He grinned. "No, I'm going to force you to come with me to the mall."

I laughed--and Russ looked at me as though he never wanted me to stop laughing.

"Okay, how about the movies?" I offered.

"I saw a really cool movie playing the other day," he told me. He reached for my hand and held it as we walked.

"What was it about?"

"Ummm....I don't really know." Something about the way he said it made me doubt his honesty.

"So, you think it's cool, but you have no idea what it's about?"

I had him cornered.

"No, just...never mind." He let go of my hand and looked off into the distance.

"Okay..." I tried again. "What about Malaria?"

"What?"

"There's a movie playing called Malaria."

"What's it about?"

I laughed again. "Umm, malaria."

"Oh, right." He seemed distracted. About a movie? Not likely.

I stopped, forcing him to stop as well. "Russ, what's wrong?"

He was silent for a moment, and then whispered, "Nothing."

"Listen to me!" I took his hand. "I want to go with you, but I'm going right home if you keep acting this way!"

He gave a forced smile, but the cloudiness in his eyes was unmistakable.

And, as if I needed further proof that something was wrong, he didn't try to hold my hand again.

**A/N: Please review or PM me, I love feedback!!! Also, I'm open to suggestions. I know the basic outline of where I'm going to take this story (which I hope to update at least once a week!), but I could use some ideas for details. Thanks! ~Lyla**


	2. Milkshake

**THE MISTAKE**: **CHAPTER 2**

We arrived at the mall, which was right next door to the movie theater. Russ still wouldn't look at me, and he wouldn't allow himself to look at the movie theater entrance. He walked purposefully toward the mall and didn't even bother to hold the door for me.

When we passed the food court, I wondered if Russ would even notice if I disappeared from his side. I decided to test my theory, so I jumped behind a fake plant.

Russ kept walking, glancing at the food stands on either side of the walkway.

I was in disbelief. Something was wrong with him. But what?

I watched him for a few more minutes--when he turned his head to the side, I saw that his eyes were glazed over. My heart was pounding--what was going on with him?

I slipped out the door of the mall and stopped by a tree, wondering what I should do.

"Are you okay?"

A tall man stood over me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

I gingerly removed his hand and gave him a cautious smile. "I'm fine," I answered quickly, and I ran back into the mall--right into Russ.

"Amy? What were you doing?"

I looked into his eyes for a moment--he'd snapped out of his trance.

"Nothing, I just thought you were behind me," I answered nonchalantly. I grabbed his hand with a smile. "What should we do?"

He leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I feel like getting a milkshake."

"Me too!" I chimed in, relieved that he was back to himself.

We went back into the mall and found a snack bar--and the man who had spoken to me outside was behind the counter. Luckily, he was counting money in the cash drawer, so he didn't see us--at first. But when Russ ordered the milkshake, the man looked up and raised his eyebrows at me. _Oh crap, he saw me looking at him. What does he want, anyway?_

Russ grinned as he gave me a second straw to the milkshake the man handed him. "I call the first sip!" I announced, knowing it was childish to say. It was strawberry...wait. Strawberry?

"You hate strawberry!" I reminded him, a smile playing on my lips.

"Yeah," he agreed, sitting down across from me. "But you don't."

He held my hand while I drank the shake; then he grabbed the cup from me.

"Hey!"

"I just wanna try it," he said. He glanced at it, as if wondering how best to approach it. "Is it any good?" He sniffed it, then gave it back to me. "I'd better not," he said finally.

I drank the rest of the milkshake. Russ took it from me and tossed it in the trash can, then playfully offered me his arm as we walked through the rest of the mall.

Stores on each side advertised their best products at the front of the walkway--enticing clothing, some food, and toys for children. I hadn't come to buy--I was just glad to be able to spend time with Russ. He smiled at me as we glanced into each store, thinking that it might be fun to browse.

"That looks interesting," Russ commented, pulling me into one of the stores. I hadn't even noticed it was there--it wasn't a store I'd ever enter unless I was getting a birthday present--for a guy. Nick would've loved it. It had all kinds of live animals and reptiles in aquariums--and tiny little toy rabbits moved around the floor. Battery-operated, I suspected.

Russ was examining a display of model trains.

"I didn't know you liked trains," I told him, running my fingers along the top of the model.

"I used to play with little wooden trains when I was little," he said absentmindedly. "I had a whole collection in a box in my room."

"What happened to them?" Abruptly my heart started racing, and my fingers were getting red.

I don't remember what he said after that--I was no longer listening. My skin was clammy, I felt dizzy, and I couldn't breathe. Something was happening to me.

My eyes closed and I could feel my neck start to twitch. Russ stared at me. "Amy?"

"Russ--" and I blacked out.


	3. Poison

**THE MISTAKE: CHAPTER 3**

My head swam. I was lying on something soft...a bed? No, a sofa. My vision was blurry, but I could hear three hushed voices. Well--one hushed voice and two loud voices.

"Is she alright?" It was Nick who had spoken.

"How should we know?" Ron asked, a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Be quiet!" Russ whispered. "I think she's coming around."

I felt like laughing. I could hear everything they were saying, but their heads were blurry. But I could see that all three of them had leaned in to see if I really was awake. I lost it.

No one moved for a moment (except for me, of course). My vision was becoming clearer, and I saw all three boys with shocked looks on their faces.

"Why is she laughing?" Nick asked, and both he and Ron looked at Russ, as if he was supposed to have all the answers.

"Maybe she's gone insane," Ron offered, shrugging.

"Amy!"

I loved hearing him say my name. "Russ?"

Relief flooded into his face, and he grinned at the other two. "She's fine."

"What happened?" I tried to sit up, but Russ pushed me back down.

"Amy, you need to rest."

"I'm fine!" I repeated, forcing myself up. I stood up and brushed my hair out of my eyes--and then I stumbled.

Russ grabbed my shoulders and put me back on the couch, and I heard him shout, "Get her some water!" My vision went blurry again and I blacked out--again.

The next thing I remember was a voice saying, "Checkmate."

I didn't even try to sit up this time. I rolled over and listened to Ron try to argue his way out of Nick's chess move. Abruptly I heard Ron comment, "Maybe it's like Sleeping Beauty. Maybe you have to kiss her, Russ."

My eyes shot open and I couldn't help but grin. Russ glanced at me, and then smiled back. "I think she's fine, Ron."

"What happened to me?"

"You went unconscious," Nick informed me, though I was sure he didn't actually see what happened.

"Why?"

"I don't know." Russ sounded worried. "You started twitching really bad, and then you just...blacked out."

"Where am I?"

"One of the guys at the snack stand helped me carry you here."

"Where's 'here'?"

Russ laughed. "Your house."

I recognized the smell of Mom's perfume on the blankets beneath me. Burying my face in them, I felt Russ's hand stroking my leg. I stole a glance at him; he was watching me, but there was a far-off look in his eyes. As if he wasn't really there.

"That's never happened to me before," I told him, attempting to bring him back to Earth. "What do you think it was?"

"Did you eat anything funny for lunch?"

"No." My mind went back to the mall--the milkshake. I had had a strawberry milkshake.

"The milkshake!"

Russ's eyes widened. "No food poisoning works that quickly," he reminded me. "So..."

"She's been poisoned!" Ron fell flat on his face and grabbed the leg of the sofa. "Whatever will we do?"

"Do you really think I've been poisoned?" But I didn't listen for his response--because it occurred to me that it had been the strange man who had given us the milkshake.

"Who did you say helped carry me back here?"

"One of the guys from the snack shack.

"Which guy?" I realized too late that my teeth were clenched.

"The one who sold us the milkshake."

My fears were confirmed. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked into Russ's eyes. "I think that guy is after me."

"Amy, you're still a little shaken from your ordeal. Don't jump to conclusions--he helped bring you back here!"

"Exactly," I responded. "And now he knows exactly where to find me." I jumped up from the couch and raced to the front door, making sure it was locked. I looked out the window and didn't see anyone--but I couldn't believe that Russ had let that guy into our house.

"You don't have any proof! You could be dead wrong!" Russ put his hand to my forehead. "You have a fever. You need to go lie down."

"No!" I shouted, breaking free from his grasp. I wrenched the front door open and gasped at what I saw. The man from the mall stood before me, with a knife in his hand.

Russ backed up and fell into a closet, whose contents covered him within seconds, and he was silent. The man grabbed me around the waist and held the knife to my throat. And it pressed against my windpipe, I couldn't breathe...

"NO!"

I woke up with a start. How much of what I had just seen was a dream? When did I fall asleep?

Ron and Nick were still playing chess--or rather, had started a new game. And when Russ saw my eyes open again, he leaned in and gently touched my lips with his. I put my arms around his neck, and he stayed there for just a moment. When he broke away, his face looked ghastly, and I knew I must've had a look of terror on my own face.

"I just had an awful dream. When did I fall asleep?"

"About ten minutes ago. You tried to get up and then fell over, and Nick got you some water but you'd already gone under again."

So everything about the milkshake had all been a dream. But it made sense. And I knew I had to tell Russ before it was too late.

Before I could say anything, the doorbell rang. I jumped under the blanket and cried, "Don't answer it!"

But Nick had already opened the door, and I could hear a voice in the front parlor--the voice of the man from the snack shack.


	4. Lies

**THE MISTAKE, CHAPTER 4**

The man poked his head into the living room where I lay on the couch. "What happened?" he asked, staring at me with a concern I'd never seen before. "Are you alright?"

I recoiled from his outstretched arm. "I'm fine," I said rather coldly, shrinking back into the couch.

"I'm glad," he said, letting out a sigh of relief. "You have no idea how much trouble I'd be in if someone found out I served a bad milkshake."

My mouth fell open. Was he admitting that he had poisoned me?

"What do you mean?" I asked, still suspicious.

"The milk in the milkshake had gone bad when I served it to you. Of course, I didn't realize it until you had already started drinking," he said quickly. I wasn't buying his story.

"Well, I'm perfectly fine," I told him, still having an edge to my voice. "You can go now."

"Amy," Russ said gently, taking my hand. "He's trying to help. This incident could cost him his job.

Like I really cared. I was still convinced that he had poisoned me on purpose. I tried to conceal my grin as I put my hand to my forehead and pretended to swoon again. I groaned for effect and wondered if I could make my fingers swell at will.

"How bad was that milk?" Russ asked the man.

"It expired two months ago. We use a special milk for most milkshakes, and as of late we haven't had many requests for milkshakes."

I wondered if Russ's strange behavior and the milkshake poison were connected.

"I think I'm feeling better," I announced, sitting up. What good would faking do? I was able to stand on my own two feet, but I could tell Russ was still worried.

"Thank you for coming to make sure I was okay," I told the snack shack man. "What's your name?"

"William Gregory Jackson Clyde. You can call me Clyde," he said, smiling. He glanced at his watch. "I suppose I'd better be going now, one of my friends took my shift and she's expecting me back soon. If you're feeling better?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. And I understand that you didn't mean to give me the spoiled milk." I smiled sweetly, hoping that he was convinced of my forgiveness.

"Good." He gave me one last smile and nodded to Russ, then left through the front door.

I walked to the couch and began folding the blankets I had used, but Russ, who had not been fooled by my behavior, grabbed my shoulders and spun me around to face him. "Are you gonna tell me what that was all about?"

I bit my lip, realizing that Russ was completely unaware of what I suspected. "I don't think the spoiled milk was an accident."

Russ threw his hands up in the air. "The poor man could lose his job, Amy! How could you think that?"

I told him about the way Clyde had looked at me, both outside the mall and at the snack stand. The dream had seemed so real, Russ had believed me, and I was convinced that if the real Russ knew all the facts, he would believe me, too.

Russ's eyes widened as my story unfolded, and as I finished, he was silent. I raised my eyebrows and placed my hands on my hips. "Well, do you believe me?"

He began to massage his temples, as if he was the one with his head swimming. No, that was _me. _Why was _I _ the only one seeing this? "You don't believe me," I said finally, the disdain in my voice all too obvious.

"I don't know what to think, Amy. I've always gone with what you say. I've always believed you, I've always followed you. I've been okay with you taking the lead in our relationship. But now? Amy, how can you expect me to believe that the man who just came to make sure you weren't seriously ill, tried to poison you? How can you expect me to believe that?"

I bit my tongue to stop myself from spitting out the angry words that now stung my throat with their determination to be released. I choked back the tears that I could feel coming to my eyes--but I wouldn't let Russ see me like this. I wouldn't let him know how much it hurt me that he didn't believe. But I couldn't stand before him biting my tongue. I had to get away.

* * * * * *

I ran out the front door without looking back, without saying a word. No one believed me. I knew that Clyde (if that was even his name) had poisoned me, but Russ wouldn't believe me. If he wouldn't believe me, how could I expect anyone else to?

I ran down the street without really knowing where I was headed. Angry thoughts shot through my head, one after the other. I didn't even notice the man walking toward me as I passed a grocery store.

I looked at the ground, letting my feet carry me wherever they would. I didn't care. I even stopped for a moment to wipe the tears from my face. My feet were silent--so why did I hear heavy footsteps close behind me?

I turned around to see what the noise was. Clyde was swiftly walking towards me, not bothering to hide his presence.

_Isn't he supposed to be at the mall?_ I thought wildly, beginning to panic as I saw the grin that was splitting his face. Without thinking about it, I turned around and ran away from him. The buildings and trees flew past as I ran down the sidewalk, not daring to look back. I stole a glance behind me and couldn't see him, but that wasn't good enough for me. I dove into a clump of bushes and lay panting in the dirt.

The man stopped right in front of the bushes, looked around, and kept going. I let out a sigh of relief, but another rush of adrenaline pulsed through me as a hand was clamped over my mouth and my head hit the ground again.

I bit my captor's hand and sat up, opening my mouth for a scream. That was before I heard Russ's voice say, "Ow! Gosh, Amy, what's wrong with you?"

"Russ?"

"Who else?"

I frowned at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't want you to do anything stupid because you were mad at me. 'I don't believe you' is not code for 'I don't like you anymore'. I just can't believe that the man who helped bring you back would purposely poison you. It just doesn't fit."

"You can believe what you want to," I told him tightly. "But I'm going to figure out what the man is really after." And I turned away from Russ and made my way down the road.


	5. Russ's Secret

**THE MISTAKE, CHAPTER 5**

If Russ didn't believe me, I would have to discover the truth myself. If he wasn't going to help me, I would have to help myself. I didn't have a choice. I could feel tears stinging my eyelids again, but I wasn't going to let them flow this time. I looked around, suddenly realizing that in the heat of the moment, I hadn't given any thought to the fact that Clyde could still be in the vicinity. Russ was standing behind the bushes with a blank look on his face, staring off into space.

Whatever. I continued walking in the direction of my house, realizing that I had left Nick home by himself. I thought about going to the police about Clyde-but no one would believe me. I had no proof, I only had my own guesses.

Nick and Ron were still playing chess when I got back. Nick looked up and peered at me through those dorky glasses, scrunching his nose as if he was squinting. "Where's Russ?"

_Thanks, Nick. Yeah, I'm perfectly fine, thanks for asking._ I didn't answer. I locked the front door and ran out of the room towards the stairs. Crashing down on the third step, I hid my face in my arms and braced myself for the sobs I was sure were going to fall. But my eyes were dry. I blinked, thinking about what I was supposed to do. I thought of what Mom would say if she were home: "The Amy I know wouldn't let something like this get her down. Go get Russ and ask for his help."

I would _not_ ask Russ for his help. He didn't believe me. I wasn't going to crush the speck of dignity I had left by admitting I needed him. But my mom's voice rang in my head and I knew I would be safe with Russ, whether or not he believed me.

I ran back out the door, much to Nick's surprise. I could see his lips forming a question as I threw open the front door.

I ran down the street, wondering what in the world I was thinking. I kept running, thinking that I would go straight to the mall after asking Russ to help me. But I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see.

I turned onto the grocery store street, but stopped so suddenly I fell backward. I saw Russ standing by the bushes, with his hands nervously in his pockets. Clyde stood before him, talking animatedly with him. Russ shook his head, looking only slightly bothered by the interaction. But then his eyes clouded over. I saw Clyde point to the market across the street-and I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from uttering a scream. A young girl, about my age, came galloping across the street towards the two of them-and Russ took her hand as she approached them.

So this was it. This was why Russ had been acting so strange lately. Hot tears stung my cheeks, not like the tears I had cried earlier. Real tears, tears that came from experiencing such terrible pain as knowing that the boy you loved did not return your feelings. Everything had been fake-all that he had told me, all the time he'd spent with me, the way he'd kissed me...everything was a lie. And that wasn't something I could deal with, not on top of Clyde.

I hid behind a tree, shaking my head and trying to convince myself that what I was seeing wasn't really happening. I was trembling...but I resolved to not let Russ know what I'd seen. I wouldn't let it upset me. But I couldn't go on pretending nothing happened. I would break up with him, but I wouldn't tell him why.

I began to make my way back home, feeling like it was hardly home anymore. Home was supposed to be a place I could go when I couldn't face the world. Home was supposed to be a haven where I could truly belong, even when I felt like no one else wanted me. But at that moment, Home was a place where Nick and Ron were playing chess, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

"Checkmate," Nick told Ron smartly, pushing his glasses farther up his nose. I slammed the front door shut and sat down on the couch next to the coffee table, gazing at the board but really not focusing on it.

"Amy?"

Oh no. Oh no no no no no. Not Russ.

"She's in here," Nick answered loudly.

_Thanks, Nick._

"Amy, are you alright?"

"Leave me alone," I whispered, jerking my head so my hair spun in my face to hide my tears. He didn't move from the doorway; he just stood there, staring at my retreating form (In case you're wondering how I know this, Nick told me after the whole thing happened).

Was I going to have to do this alone after all? I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window. I had no idea where to start my search for answers—but my own answer came as Russ knocked on my bedroom door.

Now, if Mom had been home she'd have told us to talk in the living room—Russ wouldn't have dared come into my room if Mom had been home. But she wasn't. And it was clear we needed to get some things out on the table…at least, not where Nick or Ron could hear.

Russ came around the end of my bed and sat next to me. "Amy? I know you better than that. Something's bothering you, and I'm not leaving until you tell me."

He really believed I hadn't seen him with that other girl.

"Russ, I've been thinking…"

His hand was rubbing soothing circles around my back—how was I supposed to break up with him now?

"I just—I don't think we're right for each other."

He snatched his hand back as if he'd been stung. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I just…" I couldn't even finish my thought. "Russ, I just don't think we should be dating right now."

His eyes narrowed (something that I'd never seen him do before) and his fingers tightened their grip on my bedspread. "Do you like someone else?"

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head vigorously. _But you do,_ I wanted to say.

"Where were you ten minutes ago?"

It took all my self-control to stop my mouth from falling open. Was he asking me if I'd seen him with that other girl? What should I tell him? But I didn't allow myself to think about it for more than a minute. Which probably wasn't the wisest idea. "Walking on Firbrown Street," I said nonchalantly.

His eyes widened with comprehension. But he didn't say anything—what he did was worse. He stood up and slammed his fists against the wall, knocking down several pictures of Grandma Rose.

Now the tears really started to fall. "I saw you, Russ. I saw you with Clyde and that other girl! You can't lie to me now. You're the one who has feelings for someone else. And I'm the one who's leaving." I ran from the room before he could do so much as call my name. I ran past the living room, where Nick and Ron still played chess. I wrenched open the front door and walked out into the soothing sunlight. I'd made up my mind what I was going to do. And if my plan was going to work, I only had a few hours left to put it into action.


	6. Amy's Flashback

**THE MISTAKE, CHAPTER 6**

I made my way down the sidewalk, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of Clyde or the other girl. As I walked, my mind drifted back to what I'd said to Russ. The first inklings of doubt surfaced in my head. _What if this was all a huge misunderstanding? What if I misinterpreted Russ's reaction?_

My mind went back to the school dance, just a week after my dad's machine had shrunk the four of us to less than a fraction of an inch tall.

_"Amy!" my mom called from the kitchen. "Doorbell!"_

_ I gave myself a once-over in front of the mirror, then quickly grabbed my shoes and raced down the stairs. I was wearing all white, from my fabric headband to my sandals. My dress was also white, with black hand-embroidered flowers on the front, tracing a pattern down my stomach. The bottom of the skirt was very full, and it flew out when I twirled._

_ "Amy!" Mom called again. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, trying to catch my breath before I greeted Russ at the door._

_ I finally reached the kitchen, and Mom gave me an encouraging smile as I opened the back door._

_ Russ's eyes widened when they fell on my dress. "Wow," he whispered, almost under his breath. _

_ "Ready?" I asked, smiling at him._

_ "Have a good time!" My mother called from her place in front of the stove. _

_ Russ took my hand when we had reached the driveway. "You look really beautiful, Amy," he told me. I squeezed his hand, and we were quiet for the rest of the walk. _

_ The outside of the school was decorated with a few banners and balloons for the occasion, and I felt my body tense up as I approached the building. What would my friends think? Russ and I had been together for only a week, and the only one of my friends who knew about us was Alicia. How would everyone else react?_

_ Russ's arm slid from my hand to my waist. He seemed to sense my nervousness. "You okay?" he asked softly, making my heart melt._

_ "Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him, smiling again. I took a deep breath, and he opened the door for me._

_ Almost as soon as I was through that door, I was bombarded by my friends. They grabbed both my arms and practically dragged me into the main dance hall, much to Russ's chagrin. _

_ "How've you been?"_

_ "Are you meeting someone here tonight?"_

_ "Is he cute?"_

_ "Spill, Amy!"_

_ I took a step backward, giving my dress room to breathe. "My date's already here," I said slowly, nervously watching the smiles of anticipation on their faces._

_ "Who is it, Amy?"_

_ At that moment, Russ walked up behind me and took my hand._

_ "It's Russ," I answered them, squeezing his hand so tightly that he groaned._

_ The grins disappeared. Most of them looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "Russ?" Amanda asked quietly. I bit my tongue._

_ "You want some punch?" Russ asked awkwardly, pointing to the food table._

_ "Sure," I said quickly._

_ When he had left, the girls pulled me toward a corner of the room. "Since when are you interested in Russ Thompson?" Haley asked accusingly, raising her eyebrows._

_ "He and his little brother came over last week to hang out."_

_ "Russ wanted to hang out with you?"_

_ "He lives next door, Haley," I said, getting slightly annoyed. "It's not like he walked ten miles to my house."_

_ Genevieve's eyes grew huge again. "So, did he ask you to the dance? Or did you guys—" She blushed. _

_ Now it was my turn to be shocked. Did she really think that Russ and I—that we had—_

_ "I asked him why he'd never come over before," I explained quickly. "He said it was because he thought I was too popular to notice him."_

_ "No offense, Amy, but you are pretty popular. And he's just…"_

_ "Not," Hannah finished for her. "And then?"_

_ "Well, we kissed."_

_ I was sure Russ could hear the shrieks of delight from my friends._

_ "Is he a good kisser?"_

_ "Did you make out?"_

_ "Is he—"_

_ "Here," Russ handed me my drink as Genevieve took a step backward. Russ looked confused. "Did I interrupt something?"_

_ "No," I said quickly, glaring at Haley. "Never mind." I linked my arm through his, and we walked about from the circle of gossiping girls._

_ The music started a few minutes later, and I could tell by the looks on my friends' faces that they wanted more details, but I pretended that I couldn't see them. Right now, Russ was the only thing that mattered._

_ "So," he said casually, placing his hands on my waist. "What _were_ you talking about?"_

_ I blushed fiercely, letting go of his shoulder for a moment to run a hand through my hair. "Nothing."_

_ He continued to watch me, but I could tell he wasn't willing to push the issue._

_ "They asked me if you were a good kisser."_

_ "And what did you tell them?"_

_ I laughed. "That's when you brought me the punch."_

_ He smiled. "Well, what do you think?"_

_ I cocked my head to one side, studying his face, carefully planning my answer._

_ "I haven't decided yet."_

_ He looked a bit hurt, but the twinkle in his eye told me he was only kidding._

_ "Maybe this will help you decide," he said slyly, and he pulled me towards him and kissed me; it was better than he'd ever kissed me before. He moved his hands from my waist and wrapped them around my back, holding me close and moving his lips together with mine. I felt like I didn't have to breathe, like we were the only ones in that room, like he was the only thing holding me up at that moment…and he was all I needed…_

_ The kiss ended after a few moments, and I grinned as his hands went to my waist again and we moved in time to the music._

_ After that song, Russ and I sat down at one of the tables on the edge of the dance floor. I wasn't hungry, but my feet were a bit sore, since neither one of us knew how to dance very well. But when he'd kissed me, I hadn't even noticed it. I didn't care if he had two left feet. I grinned at him again._

_ "What?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Yes what?"_

_ "You're a good kisser."_

_ He returned my grin and took my hand under the table._

_ "Amy?"_

_ I jumped at the sound of Paul Tate's voice. Russ tightened his grip on my hand and looked at the newcomer._

_ "Hi Paul," I said politely. I SO was not expecting that._

_ "Amy, you never returned my call. I called you last week, like, three times." His eyes narrowed when they fell on Russ. "Is this your boyfriend?"_

_ "No," I said quickly, shaking my head vigorously. Russ's hand had moved to my wrist, and he was squeezing it so tightly that I could feel the blood circulation being cut off. "He's not my boyfriend."_

_ Paul glanced at the dance floor, so I took the opportunity to look at Russ. His eyebrows were raised. "Not your boyfriend?" He mouthed silently, squeezing my wrist tighter still._

_ "Would you like to dance?" Paul asked, giving me a smile that would just about melt the heart of any other girl. But not me._

_ "Sure," I said nonchalantly, trying to convey to Russ that this was no big deal, that this was not a romantic thing. Hesitantly, he released my wrist and watched as I approached the dance floor with Paul. _

_ It might have been something wrong with the heat system…but I was sure Russ's jealousy and anger were seeping out his pores so violently that every person in the room could feel it. When Paul started dancing with me, he lowered his forehead to touch mine. Okay, maybe this _was_ getting a little romantic…_

_ "So. He's not your boyfriend?"_

_ I avoided Paul's gaze, even though I could feel his dark brown eyes staring at me. What should I say? If I said yes, I'd be giving up any chance I had with this guy. But if I said no, I'd be up for grabs. And Russ would probably not be one of the takers._

_ I sighed. "Yes, he is, Paul." _

_ His expression changed almost instantly. "I'm sorry," I whispered quietly, taking a step back. Paul grabbed my wrist with an angry look on his face. _

_ "I thought you liked me?"_

_ "I did," I told him, clenching my fist and not liking the strength with which he was holding my arm. "Now let me go."_

_ "Not until the song is over," he said quickly. Now, lest you think Paul Tate was some kind of gross, overprotective, obsessive idiot, he wasn't. At least, not up to that point. He was one of the most popular guys in school—any girl would've loved for him to grab them by the arm and say, "We're finishing this dance." But not me. Not when I had Russ to finish the dance with me._

_ "Let me go now, Paul!" I said a bit louder, and I tried to wrench my arm free of his grasp._

_ He smirked and touched his forehead to mine again. I scowled. "I can't let you go until we have our kiss."_

_ My eyes widened. "What?"_

_ "Junior over there got his kiss, now what about mine?"_

_ I had never seen this side of Paul Tate before. Was he really going to force me to kiss him? I got my answer when he let my arms go and instantly wrapped his hands around my back, the same way Russ had._

_ "Leave her alone, you lughead."_

_ Russ was much smaller than Paul, but Paul was like a walking toothpick. The wind could blow him over. Except this time, it wasn't the wind. It was Russ, shaking with anger, shoving him as hard as he could. _

_ Paul landed off to the side of the dance floor, and he stood up angrily, wiping blood off the corner of his mouth. He snarled at Russ, looking like an angry mother bear who'd just had her cub taken away—but fortunately, he couldn't do anything, because the principal danced by with her husband. Paul wasn't about to ruin his reputation by getting caught beating up another student. He walked off, still steaming with anger._

_ Russ turned his attention to me. "Are you alright?"_

_ "Fine," I said quickly, still shaking. Russ led me over to a table and sat down, letting me drop onto his lap and lean against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me. "Am I too heavy?" I asked quietly, half-kidding but forgetting that he was slightly shorter than me._

_ "Not at all," he whispered into my hair, running his fingers through it. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as I realized that he wasn't mad about what I had told Paul. He wasn't mad that I had said he wasn't my boyfriend. Russ wanted whatever made me happy. I had to tell him._

_ "Russ?"_

_ He looked at me with those wide eyes, his hand still combing my hair. My friends were still standing in the corner, watching all the action from a distance. They pretended to wipe away tears at Russ's gestures of affection, and I rolled my eyes._

_ "I'm sorry about telling Paul you weren't my boyfriend."_

_ "That's okay," he said quickly. There was another awkward silence, and he leaned his head against mine, closing his eyes. "Amy—I think we should make it official. I really care about you, and I want you to be my girlfriend."_

_ I smiled, not answering him right away. That was what I wanted to hear—that he really wanted to be with me, that this wasn't just _a_ date, but the first of many._

_ "I want to be your girlfriend, Russ Thompson." His face lit up, and he closed the distance between us once again, softly kissing me._

That was a year ago. Russ and I had been through the good and the bad together. We knew each other better than anyone else ever could. Or so I thought.

Down at the other end of the street, I heard my front door fly open with a crash, and I knew Russ was coming after me. Confused thoughts shot through my head. _What should I do?_


	7. Abduction

Something kept my feet from moving. I could hear Russ tearing across my front lawn, but I couldn't bring myself to run away. I dove into a bush on the side of my neighbor's house and watched as Russ ran past, glancing at each side of the street.

"Amy!"

I closed my eyes. The sound of my name on his lips was almost too much. I cared about him. I couldn't deny it. But he didn't feel the same way. I couldn't let him know that I still cared.

"Gotcha!"

I started to scream, but a huge hand was clapped over my mouth.

"Spying, are we?"

I tried to crane my neck to see who my captor was, but he kept his other hand around my neck. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I bit his hand as hard as I could, feeling the skin break under my teeth.

"AAARRRRGGGHHHH!" He let me go, and I kicked him as I stood up and began to run back toward my house.

_Toward your house. Probably NOT a good idea._ So I turned onto the next street, hoping that I wouldn't run into Russ or whoever was chasing me. But—guess what? My captor was right there in front of me. I gasped and put out my hands to protect myself as he lunged at me.

Now, at this point, you're probably thinking, _Russ jumps out and saves her!_ But if I told you that, I'd be lying. Because that's not what happened.

I didn't know for sure who this guy was, since he wore a ski mask, but I had my ideas. My town was safe; kids didn't just get kidnapped off the street in broad daylight. So…anyone like to take a guess? Yep-he took off his ski mask and gave me a leery grin.

Clyde didn't tie me up, but he kept a firm grip on my arms. I knew it would be useless to try and escape, so I walked slowly and quietly, my eyes darting around for anyone who could help.

Clyde steered me around across the street from my house. I was thinking to myself, _Really good idea, idiot. Parade me right across the street from my house. If anyone's looking out the window right now, you're going to be dead. Fine by me._

The front door of my house opened, and Nick came out onto the porch. He walked down the front steps as if he was merely out for a stroll, but he froze and almost lost his balance when he saw me. His eyes widened even more behind his glasses.

Clyde turned and saw my brother's reaction, but he kept his grip on me and smiled, waving at Nick. I shook my head so slightly that at first I thought Nick hadn't seen it. His hands dropped to his sides, he waved, and then ran back inside the house. I began to pray that he would call the police, or get Russ, or something. _Anything._

Clyde grinned at me. "Your brother isn't the brightest bulb in the box, is he, now?" He yanked on my hair, and I cried out, unable to stop myself.

We walked down my street and passed several other roads, finally heading down the street that led to the mall. Why would Clyde let me see where he was taking me? Unless...unless he had no intentions of letting me out alive...

My whole body tensed up and tears threatened to overwhelm me as Clyde walked faster. His grip on my arms only tightened, and I was too scared to let myself go limp on the ground-which was probably what I should've done.

Russ burst into my house, his feet pounding and shaking the floor so violently that the abandoned chess game on the table crashed to the floor. Ron sat on the couch. "Where's Amy?" Russ demanded breathlessly, his eyes wide. Ron pointed to the kitchen, and Russ ran past the living room to find Nick on the phone.

Putting his hand over the mouthpiece, Nick whispered urgently, "Someone took Amy!"

Russ's breath caught in his throat. He closed his eyes, and his hands coiled into fists. With a roar of anger, he ran out of the room, past the living room again, and out the front door, slamming it behind him.

_No. Oh, no. Not this, too._ Mr. and Mrs. Szalinsky pulled into the driveway, waving at Russ. He turned and wrenched the front door open again, almost smashing into Nick as he did so. "Your parents are home. Don't let them know anything's wrong."

"What should I tell them?"

"Tell them I went to meet Amy at the mall. I'm going out the back door." Once again, he slammed the door and raced across the living room, into the kitchen, and out the back door.

He didn't stop running until he had cut through the trees in the backyard to the next street over; he stopped and began to massage his temples. Where had Clyde taken Amy? He scanned the street and began walking again, quickening his pace as he headed towards the mall.

I had been expecting Clyde to bring me to a storeroom at the back of the mall, where nobody was likely to find me. But instead, he led me through the woods at the back of the mall, to a small cottage (okay, it was more of a shack). He walked right in, his hands still cutting off the circulation in my wrists, and threw me onto the floor at his feet.

I looked up at him, trying to keep my face blank. I wondered if he could smell fear, like the insect that he was.

"Russ Thompson doesn't care about you," Clyde whispered menacingly.

"Yes, he does."

Clyde stroked his chin thoughtfully, as if we were good friends talking over lunch. _As if _ being the operative words. "It doesn't matter if he loves you or not. You're never going to see him again."

The situation was serious, but I couldn't help but notice how he sounded just like the villains on Saturday morning cartoons. They always said, "You're never going to see [insert name of hero] again!" Yeah. They always said that right before they were, umm, destroyed. Well, I could only hope.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing much," Clyde said nonchalantly, locking the door and stepping on my hand as he moved into the next room. I heard a cracking noise and yelled out again. "All I want is for you to stay away from Russ Thompson."

"Not going to happen."

He laughed, a dry, hollow laugh. "Dear Miss Szalinsky, did you really think I would let you out if you promised to stay away from the Thompson boy? No, I'm going to end this right now."

I stifled a gasp as stepped on my hand again, being careful to crush it under his boot. I gave him a death glare as the pain in my hand brought tears to my eyes, but he just smirked as if I was a child and reached for something on the counter in the next room-and this time, I really did gasp.

He flashed a large butcher knife in his left hand. Was this really the end?


End file.
